College sports fans will buy just about anything with their
favorite team's logo on it. That's why John D. Smith,
33-year-old president and CEO of Clever Covers, suspected he'd
have a "built-in market of fanatics" when he designed his
product, a line of hubcaps emblazoned with the logos of collegiate
sports teams.

"Every year, there's a new crop of graduates,
there's new alumni, and [there are] guys who graduated 40 years
ago who are retired and have money and can't wait for football
season," Smith reasons.

He'd seen team flags and other car accessories at school
stores, but nothing high-quality enough to withstand the
environmental rigors of being driven around town on game nights. It
took him three years to finalize the patented design for his
hubcap, which is made of PVC plastic and attaches to a
vehicle's wheels using industrial-strength, Velcro-like
fasteners. Smith even speed-tested the hubcaps on a NASCAR
racetrack to ensure they wouldn't fall off when in use.

The hubcaps, which retail for $59.95, are sold at team stores
and through his company's Web site. So far they're a hot booster item
with University of Florida, Miami State and Florida State
University students and alumni. (Those three schools alone brought
in sales of $200,000 last year.) With 20 universities in the
pipeline across the country, sales are expected to top $1 million
this year. What's next on the horizon for Smith? Obtaining
licensing rights from a slew of professional sports teams.

Silver Lining

What: Products and services
for active seniorsWho: David Krieff of Silver
Foxes Inc.Where: Los AngelesWhen: Started in 1991

Today's seniors are dating, exercising, traveling and living
youthful lives, regardless of their ages. David Krieff, an
Emmy-nominated ex- co-producer of Miami Vice, saw this
vitality firsthand in his 100-year-old grandfather Morrie. In fact,
Krieff was so inspired that he launched a company dedicated to
active seniors.

"Part of our message," says Krieff, 40, "is [to]
create products and services for the aging and active [population]
who have personality, and speak directly and impassion
them."

The company's first exercise video, released in 1991,
starred the parents of celebrities, including Cindy Crawford, Al
Pacino and Sylvester Stallone, and sold nearly 3 million copies. In
1999, Krieff developed partnerships with leading vitamin and juice
manufacturers and released a line of nutritional products under the
Silver Foxes brand.

Through the Silver Foxes Web site, Krieff also offers such senior
population services as travel packages, a romance and friendship
division, and medical advice. Thanks to so many youthful seniors
out there, Krieff expects sales for 2002 to exceed $4 million.